The present invention relates to swings for children, and particularly to a child swing including a child seat that is convertible between a chair configuration and a cradle configuration. More particularly, the present invention relates to a child swing having a removable child seat that can also function as a car seat or car bed.
Child swings typically include child seats supported for movement on a swingable frame. Child swings are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,975,866; 4,165,872; 4,323,233; 5,083,773; 4,452,446; 4,807,872; and 4,165,872.
What is needed is a multi-position child swing that is more versatile than a traditional child swing. Consumers would appreciate a child swing having a multi-position child seat that could be converted easily at the option of the consumer from a chair to a cradle. Consumers would welcome a versatile child swing seat that could be removed easily from a swing frame in the child swing and used as a car seat, a car bed, or an infant-carrying device.
According to the present invention, a child swing includes a support stand and a swing frame mounted on the support stand for reciprocating swinging movement along a swing arc in a forward swing direction and an opposite rearward swing direction. The child swing further includes a base pivotably coupled to the swing frame for angular movement about a pivot axis between a forward-facing position facing in the forward swing direction and a side-facing position facing in a side direction which extends at an angle to the forward swing direction. A child seat is coupled to the base to pivot therewith relative to the swing frame.
In preferred embodiments, the child seat includes a generally rigid shell assembly for receiving a child. The shell assembly includes a lower shell portion for receiving the lower body of a child seated therein and an upper shell portion for receiving the head and upper body of a child seated therein. The upper shell portion is pivotably coupled to the lower shell portion to permit a caregiver to change the configuration of the shell assembly from a "cradle" configuration wherein the upper and lower shell portions are aligned in a substantially planar configuration and a "chair" configuration in which the upper shell portion is aligned at an angle relative to the lower shell portion. Illustratively, the lower shell portion is mounted to the pivotable base included in the child swing so as to permit a caregiver to move the upper shell portion relative to both the base and the lower shell portion. This feature enables the caregiver to convert the child seat between a chair configuration and a cradle configuration while the child seat is mounted in a fixed position on the pivotable base included in the child swing.
Illustratively, the support stand includes a laterally extending swing motor housing containing means for swinging the swing frame along the swing arc and four support legs holding the swing motor housing in an elevated position above the ground. The swing frame includes a first swing arm having an upper portion coupled to the swing motor housing and a lower portion positioned to lie underneath the pivotable base. The swing frame also includes a second swing arm having an upper portion coupled to the swing motor housing and a lower portion positioned to lie underneath the pivotable base and in spaced-apart relation to the lower portion of the first swing arm. A base cross bar is positioned to lie underneath the pivotable base and interconnect the lower portions of the first and second swing arms. A vertical pivot post is mounted on the base cross bar and the base is mounted on that pivot post for pivotable movement between the forward-facing position and the side-facing position.
In use, the child seat mounted on the pivotable base will typically be converted by the caregiver to a chair configuration whenever the base is arranged to lie in its forward-facing position. This arrangement will allow the child swing to function in a manner familiar to many caregivers since it will provide a forward-facing chair that swings back and forth along a swing arc in forward and rearward swing directions. A child seated in a child seat converted to the chair configuration will face in the forward swing direction during swinging of the swing frame carrying the pivotable base and the child seat.
Alternatively, the caregiver can elect to pivot the base about its pivot post through a 90.degree. angle relative to the swing frame to cause a front edge of the base to face in a sideways direction instead of in a forward direction. At this stage, it is expected that the caregiver will typically reconfigure the child seat to function as a cradle by pivoting the upper shell portion downwardly relative to the lower shell portion so that the upper and lower shell portions are aligned in a substantially planar configuration to provide a cradle-style child seat. While the child seat is in this cradle configuration, the child received in the cradle will be laying down so that the child's head extends toward one of the two sides of the swing seat and the child's feet extend toward the other of the two sides of the swing seat so that a left side of the cradle faces in the forward swing direction and a right side of the cradle faces in a rearward swing direction. This provides a comfortable position for a child during swinging of the swing frame with the child seat in the cradle configuration.
Also in preferred embodiments, the base includes a platform supporting the lower shell portion of the child seat and a latch assembly coupled to the platform for movement between a latching position engaging the child seat to retain the child seat on the platform and a releasing position disengaging the child seat to release the child seat from the platform. Illustratively, a pair of such latch assemblies are mounted on the platform and arranged in spaced-apart relation so that one latch assembly is movable relative to the platform to engage a right side of the lower shell portion and another latch assembly is movable relative to the platform to engage a left side of the lower shell portion. Detent mechanisms are provided on the platform to retain each latch assembly in either its latching position or its releasing position at the option of the caregiver. Such a feature helps to hold the child seat in a fixed position on the platform during swinging motion of the child seat in both the chair and cradle configurations of the child seat.
Illustratively, the child seat is constructed so that it can be removed from its mounted position on the platform by manual operation of the latch assemblies. This enables a caregiver to remove the child seat so that it can be used apart from the child swing as a car seat, a car bed, or other infant-carrying or child-seating device.
Additional objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.